novelxo Chapter 172
Chapter 172 She Lost Too Much In Just One Night
Henry's gaze darkened.
In a hoarse voice, he said, "Let's talk at home, Crystal."
Refusing to back down, she asked again, "Do you love me?"
The man knitted his brows and kept mum:
Crystal anticipated that response from him. I know he can't answer me because he doesn't love me and doesn't want to lie to me.
The diamond ring in her hand slipped from her grasp, landing on the ground with a faint sound.
It mirrored the delicate state of their relationship, quietly shattering, unlike the dramatic breakup that Henry once had with Audrey. The silent pain was hers alone to bear.
Crystal locked eyes with Henry and spoke in a soft tone. "Henry, I don't want anything anymore. Don't worry. I won't pester you any longer, and you no longer need to bind me with the ties of marriage, either. Like I've mentioned before, you're free to live your life as you wish!"
With that, Crystal turned around, summoning her strength to walk away, determined to maintain her dignity. Even in her departure, she was determined to do so with grace and poise. We've all fallen in love with a jerk at least once in our lives, and I'm sure we've all been deceived by men. I'll just consider it a gamble that didn't go in my favor. It's okay. I may have stumbled, but it won't prevent me from getting back up.
Crystal made a vow that the name of Henry Miller would never appear as her spouse on her household. registry.
"Crystal!" Henry ran after her and grabbed her hand.
Crystal tried shaking him off, but he refused to let go. "Listen to me! I'm not toying with your feelings. I-
No matter how hard she tried, Crystal could not break free from the man's grasp.
In a composed tone, she uttered, "Indeed, you're not in love with me. You're simply tolerating my presence. You can't reject your first love, and you can't bear to cause her pain. That's why you chose to ignore my pain. It's over between us, Henry!"
Henry gritted his teeth and pulled her into his arms. "Let's go back and talk!"
All of a sudden, the nurse in the ward exclaimed, "M-Miss Quinn!
Crystal turned around and looked in Audrey's direction with her bloodshot eyes.
The ashen-faced Audrey was wearing a smile despite the blood dripping from her severely injured wrist. She threatened, "Henry! You can't abandon me. If you leave with her, I'll kill myself!"
Henry hurriedly walked over to apply pressure to Audrey's wound.
Lowering his voice, he said, "Audrey, when will you stop?"
Audrey's lips trembled as she replied, "You should know the answer!"
Crystal stood there and watched the drama unfold. I have had enough of this. Once we break up. I won't have to
force myself to go to Ferropene. And I won't have to wait for him in the long, lonely nights anymore. That sounds wonderful to me!
Crystal turned around and walked away. She was sick of the drama between those two lovebirds.
After leaving, Crystal still made a trip back to Henry's condominium.
She slowly dismantled the decorations she had meticulously prepared for Valentine's Day. The extravagant Michelin-starred dining table worth fifty thousand and the elegant silver candlesticks-she disposed of them all.
She also threw the invitation from Ferropene's Royal Academy of Music into the trash bin.
After completing these tasks, Crystal packed her belongings, ready to depart.
At that moment, her phone rang. It was a call from Anna.
Anna's tearful voice trembled as she spoke. "Crystal, come to the hospital right now. Your dad fell, and he's in critical condition. He wants to see you one last time! Crystal, please hurry!"
Anna burst into tears, teetering on the edge of a mental breakdown.
John, with his last bit of consciousness, held Anna's hand firmly, calling out Crystal's name over and over. He longed to see her one last time.
In his final moments, what worried him the most was his precious daughter.
The world crumbled before Crystal's eyes.
She set everything aside and rushed downstairs.
Despite the ongoing rain, she stepped hard on the gas pedal, determined to reach her destination quickly.
As she drove, her vision blurred, making it difficult to distinguish her tears from the raindrops on the windshield. Come on! I have to speed up!
She had to see her father one last time. She needed to tell him how much she loved him and assure him. that she would take good care of Anna. Above all, she wanted him to know that he was the best father she could ever have.
Tears streamed down Crystal's face.
Suddenly, a loud crash rang out.
Crystal froze still, stunned for a moment.
Unfazed by the heavy rain, she hurriedly got out of the vehicle and opened the hood, only to be greeted. by a cloud of black smoke.
The car had broken down.
With little time left, she desperately tried to flag down a taxi. But on Valentine's Day, the streets were congested with young couples returning home from their romantic dates, making it nearly impossible for her to find an available taxi.
Crystal sprinted through the rain, aiming to reach a nearby shopping mall where it would be easier to find
She Lost Too Much In Just One Night
a taxi.
The rain drenched her clothes, and her shoes and pants were splattered with mud.
+5 Bonus
Puddles formed on the road, and as Crystal stepped into a small pothole, she tumbled onto the street.
When she attempted to stand up again, her heel throbbed with piercing pain, rendering her unable to
walk.
Desperately, she tried flagging down passing cars, but none were willing to give her a ride. Car after car zoomed by, splashing water onto her and soaking her even more.
Setting aside her pride, Crystal grabbed her phone and dialed Henry's number. Perhaps he could offer me a ride since Audrey's hospital is close by.
Her only wish was to see her father one last time.
Despite dialing Henry's number a few times, she received the same automated message over and again: Sorry, the user you are trying to reach is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Crystal closed her eyes in the midst of that rainy night
The night was unprecedentedly cold and dark.
A black sports car suddenly came to a halt beside her, and a slender figure hopped out of the vehicle.
It was Seth.
Seth braved the rain and ran over, picking up Crystal in his arms. "What are you doing here?"
In the dimly lit night, Crystal's face and lips looked utterly pale.
Her voice trembling, she said, "Seth, please take me to Barnwood Mercy Hospital!"
Without asking any questions, Seth placed Crystal in the passenger seat and swiftly started the car.
The high-performance sports car cut through the rainy night like a shooting star.
Unfortunately, Crystal did not make it in time.
John passed away with an unfulfilled wish lingering in his heart.
With Seth's support, Crystal inched toward the bed. A pristine white sheet now covered John's face, as he had left the world for good.
"Crystal, say your final goodbyes to your dad! He hasn't gone far. I'm sure he can still hear you," Anna said, her cheeks wet with tears.
"Dad!" Crystal's voice trembled as she knelt before John. How could you just leave like that? I still have so much to say to you, so many places I wanted to take you to. I haven't had the chance to show you my accomplishments in my career, and as your daughter, I haven't been able to repay you for everything you did for me.
With a trembling hand, Crystal gently lifted the white sheet.
She gazed at her father's face for the last time.
She Lost Too Much In Just One Night.
This man, who had no blood ties with her, had sacrificed so much for her.
In order to shower Crystal with all the love in the world, he made the selfless choice of forgoing having his own child and devoted himself entirely to her well-being and happiness.
"Dad..." Crystal called out, embracing him with her eyes tightly closed. Dad, I'll live a good life. And I'll take good care of Madam Anna. I'll take her to visit you and Mom. When I'm free, I'll take Madam Anna out for walks. Dad, you can rest in peace now. Don't look back anymore.
Crystal sprained her foot, so Seth brought her to consult an orthopedic doctor the next morning.
The doctor's expression changed slightly after he examined Crystal's condition thoroughly.
He recognized Crystal because a child of his colleague was taking piano lessons from her, and he knew she was a talented girl.
After contemplating for a while, the doctor began speaking slowly. "Miss Winters, the injury on your foot is not severe. It'll recover with time, and you'll soon be able to walk like how you'd do normally. However, due to the nerve damage...
The doctor hesitated before continuing. "I regret to inform you that your days as a top pianist may have come to an end. And, it's best you avoid driving-I mean, I'm afraid you won't be able to drive for the rest of your life."
Crystal listened silently.
She felt numb after losing so many things dear to her overnight.